Truth and Consequences
by ThomasLovesTali
Summary: After Liara confesses that she was responsible for him getting involved with Cerberus, Tom cannot forgive or forget the asari's betrayal.


After helping Miranda relocate her sister; Tom, Garrus, and Miranda went back to the Normandy to upgrade weapons for the upcoming fights. Before going back to the ship, Tom wanted to go check on Liara.

"Hey guys." Tom said.

"What's up?" Garrus asked.

"Let's go see if T'Soni got what she wanted." Tom finished.

"Sounds good to me." Miranda said

The three left the bar, went down the stairs, and made their up to T'Soni's office. On Tom's right, he could see Nyxeris working. While Garrus and Miranda waited down stairs, Tom entered T'Soni's office to talk with the asari.

"Shepard." Liara said and continued. "It's good to see you again."

"The other suspects have gone underground. Damn it, I was so close." Liara said and continued. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful. It's just… The Observer was the only one who could lead me to the Shadow Broker." Liara finished.

"So what now?" Tom uninterestedly asked.

"Now I gather information, peel away layers of lies, and shine light in the shadows." Liara said and continued. "And when I find the Shadow Broker, I hit him with a biotic field so strong that what's left of his body will fit in a coffee cup." Liara finished.

Disgusted with the asari's attitude, Tom raised his voice. "This hostile relationship of yours with the Shadow Broker, can't just be about you losing a friend. What else happened between you two? What are you keeping from me?" Tom finished.

Liara stood up from her chair, and looked out the window. "Did Cerberus ever tell you how they recovered your body?" the asari asked.

"The Illusive Man telling me how he got his power-hungry hands on me?" Tom asked. "No… I guess he decided to keep that information to himself." Tom finished.

"I gave it to them." Liara answered and continued. "I gave you to them, Shepard… Because they said they could rebuild you." The asari turned around and continued. "And to do that, I had to take your body from the Shadow Broker. He was going to sell you to the Collectors." Liara finished as she sat back down in her chair.

Shocked at what he just learned, Tom wondered why the asari didn't tell everyone else about this. "When were you going to share this with all of our other friends, like Kaidan and Councilor Anderson?" Tom asked.

"I couldn't." Liara answered and continued. "If I told them what I did to you, they would hate me for it. Or worse, they would have told the Alliance, Asari High Command, and the Council that I helped Cerberus. If that happened, it would ruin my reputation. And I couldn't let that happen." Liara finished.

Tom exploded. "So, in other words, while you allowed Cerberus to resurrect me, you kept Anderson, Kaidan, Garrus, Tali, and the rest of the Normandy family in the dark?!" Tom said.

Liara said nothing, knowing Shepard was right.

Tom continued. "Instead of coming clean with the rest of the Normandy family about you handing me over to Cerberus, you allowed Cerberus to spread all those lies about me faking death to join Cerberus, just so you can save your ass from being charged with treason?!" Tom finished.

After a few moments of silence, Liara finally responded. "I screwed up, Shepard. I know." Liara said and continued, hoping to get Shepard to forgive her. "When I gave to Cerberus… I told myself I was doing it for you… For a chance to bring you back. But I knew Cerberus would use you for their own business and I let it happen. Because… I couldn't let you go. I'm sorry." Liara finished.

Devastated to hear the asari only did it out of selfishness, Tom remembered the hostility he received from Kaidan and Miranda; and the Illusive Man revealing how he leaked to the Alliance that the Commander was alive and working "for" Cerberus.

"Maybe you feel like you owe Cerberus because they saved you. Maybe you're the one who's not thinking straight." Kaidan angrily said after Tom told him how Kaidan was letting how he feels about Cerberus blind him from seeing the Collector threat.

"Only time will tell if you become an asset to our cause." Miranda menacingly said in her first conversation with Tom.

"I released a few carefully disguised rumors that you might be alive. And working for Cerberus." The Illusive Man proudly said after Tom told the Cerberus Leader how he suspected the Illusive Man had something to do with the Collectors attacking Horizon by bringing up Kaidan telling him the Alliance got a tip about "Tom and Cerberus".

After a long moment of silence, Tom snapped. "Get… Up."

Liara looked at Shepard. "I'm sorry." Liara replied.

"Get… Up!" Tom shouted.

Liara got up from her chair and walked over to Tom. Tom got up from his and angrily looked at the asari.

"Shepard?" Liara asked.

In a fit of rage, Tom smacked the asari in the face. Liara was devastated to witness what her ex-commander had just done. After a few seconds, Tom smacked her in the face again. This time, Liara began to cry, knowing she has hurt her old friend. The third time Tom smacked Liara in the face, he finally responded. "You selfish… selfish coward." Tom tearfully replied.

"It was a silver of hope I refused to turn down." Liara said and continued. "It was either Cerberus or the Collectors… I made the best choice I could, I'm sorry!" Liara finished.

"I DON'T CARE!" Tom roared. "When you do something, like that, for a member of the Normandy family, you tell the rest of the family EVERYTHING!" Tom continued. "That is the most important code the crew of the Normandy follows. If you can't do that Liara, then I don't think you should be part of the Normandy family anymore." Tom finished.

"And have my hard-working reputation destroyed?" Liara asked and continued. "No! I can't do that Shepard. If I told them what I did to you, they would hate me forever. I just can't do it." Liara finished.

"You know what, Liara?" Tom asked. "You're just a selfish coward, who doesn't accept the consequences of her actions." After a moment of silence, Tom continued. "I should've kicked you out of the family after learning the Conduit was Ilos… No, on second thought, I should've kicked you out of the family after completing our investigation into Saren on Noveria. But I didn't. Why? Because after you lost your mother, I cut you some slack."

Tom looked away from Liara in disgust, still enraged she betrayed him for her own selfish wants. After a few moments of silence, Liara finally responded. "Look Shepard. I know you're angry with me and I don't blame you." The asari continued. "It's just…You're letting your hatred for Cerberus get in the way of the fact that the Shadow Broker was going to give you to the Collectors." Liara finished.

Tom looked at her. "Maybe." Tom said and continued. "Or maybe you feel like you owe Cerberus your gratitude because they did you a favor by bringing me back to life." Tom continued. "Maybe it's you." Tom finished.

Liara frowned, knowing Shepard is right; she does feel like she owes Cerberus for bringing the Commander back. After a moment of silence, Tom finally replied. "You know what, Liara?" Tom asked and continued. "As far as I'm concerned, you are no better than the Illusive Man. "Tom finished and walked away.

As he is about to leave Liara's office, Tom stopped, pulled out his M-3 Heavy Pistol, and turned around. Liara looked at Tom in horror, shocked at seeing her old friend pointing a gun in her face. "You're going to shoot me?" Liara asked in horror.

"As much as I would love to." Tom said and continued. "No… Why? Because out of respect for your friend. I don't want him to lose any hope he might have at being free from the Shadow Broker."

Tom put away his pistol and prepared to leave. Before walking out the door, Tom gave one more lecture to the asari. "Liara." Tom said and continued. "If you still want to be friends with me… Promise me, that I will never see you again." Tom finished.

Saddened to hear Shepard say that, Liara gave the Commander the answer he wanted to hear. "I… promise you will never see me again." Liara said.

After one last exchange of words, Tom left the office. Garrus and Miranda were standing around and enjoying a couple of drinks. When the two teammates saw Tom, they walked over to him.

"Hey." Miranda asked. "How did everything go?"

"Honestly." Tom said and continued. "I have cut all ties with somebody I used to know, Miri… Nothing more." Tom finished.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Shepard." Miranda said and continued. "Listen… even though we didn't get along in the beginning of this mission, I just want you to know, for whatever it's worth, I'm here for you… Whenever you need me." she concluded.

"Yeah, thanks." Tom replied.

"Okay, you two. No more drama, let's back to the Normandy. We got some new upgrades to research." Garrus intervened.

"Agreed." Tom replied and continued. "Always be prepared for the upcoming fights." Tom finished.

As Tom, Garrus, and Miranda went back to the Normandy, Liara sadly looked down at the trio. The asari knew how bad she hurt the commander and can't say she blames him for cutting all ties with her. "I'm sorry." Liara finally said. After watching the trio disappear through the door way, she sadly returned to her desk, believing Shepard no longer trusts her.


End file.
